Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-31
LABOR AND TIE TARIFF.
From the Standpoint OF the Nottingham
Words of n Hosiery Manut acturer


Words of n Hosiery Manut actuTer.
Philadelphia Record.
am in favor of q revision OF the tariff
Too much protection has stimulated the
hosiery industry SO that home competi-
ton is worse than. foreign, besides shut
ting US out from any foreign market.
Give Us free raw materials, and we will
hold our own against the world with such
Goods as we make.
The foregoing sre the words of Mr..
Walter Aiken, hosiery manufacturer Of
Franklin Falls, n. II. Tie second sen
fence opens UP what is esteemed by many
rs the most serious Of al the influences
of overprotectiop. I know q working
man VINO has an Ingenious and convInc-
ing method of explaining the
i'll effects and the successive
steps by which they are evolved, and
who hiss made many converts to revenue
reform thereby. His explanation is
briefly as follows: "Suppose," he says,
"foT the sake Of example, the soil in and
around Philadelphia should be Of such
character that potatoes could not be
grown in 1t st less CO than
81 per bushel. Suppose that in Cam
den and in Montgomery, Delaware and
other adjoining counties the soil in this
particular regard should be Of so superior
q character that il would cost but so
cents to grow bushel of potatoes in it.
The consequence would be inst the Jer-
sey City sGd Pennsylvania counties named
would lave monopoly OF the PhiIa-
delpbia p0tatoe market. The 'neckers'
and lard owners in the other Phila-
delphia suburbs would not be pleased,
but would have to grin and bear
it, and give their soil 10 the growing Of
articles 10 which il would be better
adapted ,Iunless-. And here we must sup
pose again. Suppose il should be consti-
tuti0naily possible for the councils CT
tiCies brought to its markets from sd-
'neckers' snd their fellow landowners
have them levy tax CT
duty OF 20 cents 8 bushel on all po-
tstoes brought across the Delaware or
down any of the roads leading into the
city from the interior of the state. l be-
lleve it would be a bad principle-the
trainers of the constitution believed so,
and prohibited it-and l believe Ii would
De Dad policy, but 1t would give the Phil
adelpbla potato men an even chance
for their own market; and since
the others, when without such
competition, would be likely to keep
prices up as high as possible, no great
harm would be done. Well, the 'neckers'
ct al. proceed to grow potatoes and do
well, and by and by it occurs to them
that the special tax scheme is good
thing, and as most people think there
can never be too much Of s. good
thing, they would go to the Coun-
ellis agsin and say: Pat up
the tax to 10 cents and Wen
dIvvy, either by giving you some cold
cash or by sending you to the Legislature
or Congress" They do If, snd then the
great wrong TO the people begins; but it
is not the most grievous wrong by good
deal. For time the thing runs along
smoothly. The potsto-growing business
prospers in Philadelphia IS 1t never pros |
pered before. 4 few make big money az it. |
This fact becomes apparent 20 the many;
snd the many, thinking it but right that |
they should have share OF the bonanza,
90 in. Then speedily comes time when |
the Philadelphia potato product is in ex-
cess CT the Philadelphia potato demsnd,
aud Philadelp1ia potatoes, of course,
c&1noT De marketed anywhere else. |
Whist follows? First, 6 trust. Then 6
REDUCTION OF wages. Then more reduction
Of wages. Then collapse of the trust
and merry fight for supremacy, with
stu further reductions Of wages, for the |
Worktngmen must always furnish the
ammunition for such conflicts. Finally |
the weaker growers 60 the wall, ruined, |
and worse yet, the men they have en- |